Conspiracy theories about stabbing of opposition leader fan outrage

Democratic Party of Korea Chair Lee Jae-myung, lying in a stretcher, is lifted off a helicopter in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on Tuesday, to be transported to Seoul National University Hospital after he was stabbed in Busan. (Yonhap)

Conspiracy theories suggesting that Tuesday's stabbing of Korea's main opposition party leader, Lee Jae-myung, was orchestrated by the victim himself have been spreading on the internet here, sparking outrage from the public and those in political circles in both the liberal and conservative camps.

The 59-year-old leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea was stabbed in the left side of the neck by a 67-year-old man in Busan during a visit to the southernmost port city, sustaining injury to his jugular vein that required emergency surgery. He regained consciousness later in the day and is currently recovering at Seoul National University Hospital.

Far-right YouTubers, however, have been circulating conspiracy theories that the attack was self-orchestrated, saying that it took place just as ruling People Power Party interim leader Han Dong-hoon's ratings had started rising.

Han, who took over in the position approximately a week ago on Dec. 26, is being considered a possible candidate for the next presidency. In a Gallup poll Dec. 28-29 surveying 1,017 adults across the country on who they would like to see as the next president, Han overtook Lee for the first time, 24 to 22 percent.

One YouTuber also claimed that the weapon might have been a cell phone case or a paper knife, which spread via social media.

One user of X, formerly Twitter, claimed that the phrase, "I'm Lee Jae-myung," on the headpiece the attacker had been wearing, "shows that he is a Democratic Party member," and is therefore proof that Lee intended to be stabbed in the neck.

Even Lee's political rivals have stressed that such conspiracy theories are absurd. In a ruling party event in Daejeon just hours after the stabbing, a ruling party supporter shouted, "It (Lee's attack) is just a show!" which Han waved off and said, "Please be concerned (about Lee) just as if I had been attacked."

Lee Jun-seok, the former ruling party leader who recently parted ways with it to start a new party, voiced his opposition to the conspiracy theories.

"I've expressed my hopes that (Lee) will be alright and said the police need to investigate the case to get to the bottom of this, which I hoped that the supporters of the new party would not take the wrong way and suggest conspiracy theories. And what do you know, there are YouTubers who suggest the attack was self-staged -- conservative YouTubers," he said while appearing on local radio show on Wednesday.

Lee stressed that such allegations based on conspiracy theories are "very shameful."

Members of both the ruling and the main opposition parties emphasized that Lee's attack should not be used politically.

Rep. Park Jung-ha, the chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, stressed that both the party and Han made it clear that the attack is "not something that should happen in a democratic society." "If anyone interprets the radical comments of some supporters in a distorted way, connecting them to the party or Han, we will respond firmly," he said.

Hong Ihk-pyo, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, urged fellow lawmakers of his party not to comment rashly on the situation. "Please do not be shaken. And please refrain from making comments other than wishing Lee well, such as political interpretations of the attack, or related to the culprit," he said in a text message sent to DP members.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)